Apparatus for cleaning cloth



May 17; 1927.

G. s1'om-z APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CLOTH Filed July 27. 1925 9 Sheets-Sheet l G.-STONE APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CLOTH May 17 1927.

9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 27, 1925 l l I 1927. 17 cs. STONE APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CLOTH Filed July 27. 1925 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 1927. May 17 G. STONE APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CLOTH Filed July 27. 1925 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 W 17 I G. STONE- APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CLOTH Filed July 27. 1925 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 1,628 690 May 1927' G. STONE APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CLOTH led July 27. 1925 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 17 G. STONE APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CLOTH 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Z1 0 550/ a W Z w Filed July 27, 1925 1927. May 17 G. STONE APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CLOTH Filed July 27. 1925 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Patented May 17, 1927.

- [UNITED "STATES PATENT oi-Flor.

aroma arena, or noa'rn annovan. xassacnnsn'r'rs, nssrenoa ro M. 'r. s'ravnns m sons (mom, or noa'rn uneven, MAseAcnUsn'r'rs; a coaroaa'rron or MASSACHUSETTS.

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The object of this invention. is to provide an apparatus ada ted to rapidly removev from a web of clot the oil and other foreign matter acquired -by the cloth during.

of rinsing tanks containlng rin'sing water,

said tanks being arranged in'tandem order,. mechanism for feeding a web cont nuouslyin a forward dir'ection through the washing tanks to the rinsing tanks, and mechanism for feeding the web alternately forward a that the web is reciprocated lengthwise in the rinsing tanks and intermittently fed-,forward therefrom and discharged fromiftheapparatus for subsequent treatment, thespeed of the discha web being determin by the difference be tween the amplitude of the forward movements and that of the backward movements. Of the accompanyi g drawings forming a part of this specificat1on, Y

Figures 1 and 1- collectively Show in side elevation the apparatus used in practicing 80 my invention.

Figures 2 and 2 collectively show in plan the apparatus as shown in Figures 1 and 1.

Figure 3 is an end'elevation of the apparatus looking from the right of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the apparatus showing somewhat d' mmatically' the course-taken by the clot gmentary details of mechanism for controlhngthe progress? Figures 5 and 6 are fra of the cloth through the apparatus.

Figure 7 is a transverse section on line 7-7 of Figure 1, showin control hereinafter describe Figure 8 is a transverse section similar to 5 Figure 7, the automatic control being omitted and the course of the cloth shown by dotted lines.

Figure 9 is a ure 1. V Figure 10 is a fragmentary section on line 16-10 of 'Figure 2.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary detail of the automatic control.

Figures 12 and 13 show another feature 66 of the automatic control.

the automatic section on line 9-9 of Fig.

wise from end to end of the web, so that maximum distance and, lipackward affminr mum distance through the, rinsing tanks, so

or delivery of j the Figures 14 and 15 illustrate a modified form of unclutching means.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in allof the figures.

' To facilitate an understanding of the course of-a web of cloth through the a paratus, I will first refer to Figure 4 w ich shows the course diagrammatically.

The apparatus includes a series of tanks 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17, arranged in tandem order, the tanks 12, 13, 14 and 15, being used for washing and the tanks 16 and 17 for rinsing. A web w of cloth, taken for example from a fulling mill, is folded length- 10 the Web has a compact form in cross section and is much narrower than when it is flat. The web thus narrowed may be arranged as shown by Figure 4, in a portable truck T- which is located adjacent to the first washing tank 12. The web is led upward from the truck over an elevated flanged guiding pulley 18 (Figure 8), and downward therefrom to the first tank 12, which contains a'soap solution. The tank 12 is provided with a semi-partition 19 so that the tank has a smaller compartment 20 and a larger com artment 21.

The web drops from the rol 18 into the 'com artment 20 and accumulates therein in fol s w, which float in the solution and may extend to the 7, lower portion of the com artment so that .this ..perio rtion of the web as a protracted of immersion in the solution. From the lowest fold w, the web passes upward over a fixed inclined guide 23, then under a roll 24 located in the lower portion of the compartment 21 directly under the roll 25, and lmmersed in the solution. The web in passing through the solution in the compartment 21 is dis in a series of con.-

'VOl\1tl0!1S w as in icated by dotted lines in Figure 8, each convolution alternatel enterving and leaving the solution. To. t 18 end,

I locate above the compartment 21 a single we roll 25 and a pair of rolls 26 and 27. The

, web in passing from the guide 23 encounters an end portion of the lower roll 24, passes upward to and across the roll 25, then between the rolls 26 and 27 and then down- 106 ward to the lower roll 24, one convolution being thus formed. This other convolutions shown b Fi 8 are formed in the same way. The ro s 24 and 25 areobli uely arge he arrt of the rol 25 be- 1M ing shown by Figure 2, which in this figure conceals the roll 24, the latter being also obliquely arranged and parallel with the roll 25. This oblique arrangement enables the convolutions w to be formed side by side without overlapping or interfering with each other. The web passes from the nip of the rolls 26 and 27 to another guide pulley 18 located over the tank 13.' Each of the tanks 13, 14 and 15 is constructed like the tank 12, and with each cooperates a guide 23 and rolls 24, 25, 26 and 27, so that the web is passed in a series of convolutions through each washing tank.

A continuous progressive endwise movement is imparted to the web in its passage through the washing tanks by mechanism hereinafter described. The convolutions constitute the greater part of the length of that portion of the web which is associated with the washing tanks. the convolutions being subjected to extended contact with the solution, so that the washing tanks and the above described adjuncts thereof constitute an efi'ective washing apparatus,

which is at the same time very compact con sidering the length of the web. portions which are being simultaneously washed. Each of the rinsing tanks 16 and 17 is subdivided by a semi-partition 30 into compartments 31 and 32. The web leaving the last washing tank 15 passes over a guide pulley 33 similar to the pulleys 18, and downward into the compartment 31 of the first rinsing tank 16 where it is disposed in folds w (Figure 4) in a body of clean water n this tank. The web passes from the lowest fold w upward between rolls 34 and 35 located above the partition 30 and then downward from the nip of these rolls to the compartment 32 of the first rinsing tank where the web is again disposed in folds L e0 in the body of rinsing water. The web passes from the lowest fold to over a guide roller 36 and from thence downward to the second rinsing tank 17, through which its course is as above described in connection with the first rinsing tank 16. From the second rinsing tank, the web passes over guides 37 and 38 to any suitable receptacle or support.

An alternating endwise movement is imparted by means hereinafter described to the web in its passage through the rinsing tanks, the web being moved endwise alternately forward and backward to render the rinsing more effective than would be the caseif the web were moved only in a forward di-' neaaeec teen yards per minute. The mechanism. next described, is provided for moving, the web-progressively in one direction through the washing tanks.

The rolls 26 and 27 associated with each of the washing tanks are journalled in fixed bearings on the frame of the apparatus. and are provided at one end with intermeshinp spur gears 39 (Figures 1 and 8) whereby the rolls are caused to rotate in opposite directions. Fixed to the opposite end of each lower roll 26 is a driven gear 40 meshing with a pinion 41 (Figure 2) on a driving shaft 42, to which is fixed a pulley 43, on which runs a driving belt 44. Each pulley 43 is driven by a belt 44 (Figure 2) running on the pulley 43 and'on an adjustable cone pulley 46 on the main driving shaft 47. The cone pulley adjustment is made l'lll'OllfL'll an arm 127 (Figure 15), the end portion of which is slidably fastened between the spaced angle bars 127 being fastened thereto by the disengageable nuts 154v To one end of the shaft 47 is fixed a pulleydh' (Figure 2) engaged by a belt 49 passing over a pulley 50 on a shaft 51 of the apparatus, hence power may be transmitted from the drive-shaft 47 to the shaft .71.

The guide pulleys 18 over the washing tanks are fixed to shafts 52 journalled in hearings on the frame. The shafts 5:2 are driven from the lower rolls 26 by driving connections, including sprocket wheels fixed to the lower rolls, sprocket wheels 56 fixed to the shafts 52, and sprocket chains eonnecting the sprocket wheels on the rolls 26 with the sprocket wheels 56 as indicated by Figure 2. I find it desirable to arrange the first shaft 52. carrying the first guiding pulley 18,-parallel with the rolls 26 and 27, and the other shafts 52 oblique to said rolls, as shown by Figure 2. In consequence of this arrangement, I drive the first shaft 52 by an outer sprocket wheel 54 (Figure. 8) fixed to an extension of the shaft of the lower roll 26, and a sprocket chain 55 connecting the sprocket wheel 54 with the sprocket wheel 56 on the first shaft 52. said shaft being driven by friction member 56 associated with sprocket wheel 56. The shafts of the lower rolls 26 are provided with sprocket wheels 57, which are connected by obliquely extending sprocket chains 53 with the sprocket wheels 56 on the oblique shafts 52. The chains 58 extend in non parallel stretches as indicated by Figure 2, and are caused to properly engage the sprocket wheels 57 by guide rolls 59.

The described organization is such that the rolls 26 and 27 and the guide pulleys 18 associated with the washing tanks are continuously driven at a uniform rate. to impart a continuous endwise movement to the web in its passage through the washing tanks. Alternating forward and backward fl (l llli ' endwise movements are im arted to the web in its passage through t e rinsing tanks by mec anism which includes the driving shaft 51 and means, next described, cooperating therewith to impart to the rolls 34 and 35 associated with the rinsing tanks, a given number of forward rotations moving the web forward, and a smaller number of backward rotations moving the web backward, said means being shown in plan by Figure 2*, and in elevation by Figures 1 and 3. The rolls 34 and 35 are journalled in suitable bearings fixed onthe frame of the apparatus, and are provided at one end with intermeshing spur gears 61, 61, (Figure 1) whereby the rolls are caused to rotate in opposite directions. Each of the rolls 35 is driven from the lower rolls 34. to which power is supplied by driving connections comprising sprocket wheels 62, 63, fixed to the shafts of the'rolls 34, and a sprocket chain 164 connecting the sprocket wheel 62\ with the sprocket wheel 63 fixed to a drive shaft 60 adapted to be alternately driven by the open belt 64 and the cross belt 65 running on a pulley 66 on a driving shaft 51 of the apparatus.

The rolls 34 and 35, associated with the rinsing tanks of the apparatus, are given alternate forward and backward rotations by the shaft 60, which is provided with loose pulleys 69, 70, and a t ght or driven pulley 71 located between the loosepulleys 69, 70, and adapted to be alternately driven by the-belts 64, 65. For this purpose, the shaft 60 is provided with a worm 72 (Figures 5 and 6) fixed to the loose pulley 69 and meshing with a worm wheel 73 fixed to one end of a shaft 74 to the opposite end of which is fixed a disk 75, having fixed to one face thereof cam segments 76, 77,

arranged to cooperate with a cam roller 78 fixed to a'bar 79 slidably mounted at'its ends in suitably fixed supports 80, and secured to a belt shipper 81 (Figure 2') slidably mounted on rods '82, 82, fixed in the supports 80. The belt shipper is provided with oppositely dispbsed belt guides83 and 84 (Figure 6) arranged to alternately guide the belts 64, 65, from their loose pulleys 69, 70, on tothe tight pulley 71 on the shaft 60. Rotation imparted tothe-shaft by the belt 64 causes the rolls 34. and 35 associated with the rinsing tanks of the apparatus to rotate in the directions of thearrows m (Figure 5) and the disk 75 andthe cam segments. 76, 77, located thereon, to rotate in the direction of the arrow y (Figure 6). The cam segment 77 is caused toengage the cam roller 78 urging it to the left (Figures 3 y and 6) so. that movement will be imparted to thebelt shipper, 80 to transfersimultane ously the open belt 64 from the tight'pulley 71 to the loose pulley 69, and the cross belt from the loose pulley to the tight coo pulley 71, to (impart a change in direction of rotation of the shaft 60 and rolls 34' and 35. The disk 75, however, is not affected by the transferring of the belts. Hence, its rotation is in the direction of 'the arrow y, so as to cause the other-cam segment 76 to engage the cam roller 78 to'.

face of the pulley 71 to permit the belt to drive the loose pulley 69 while it is driving the pulley 71, that causing the disk 7 5 to always rotate in the same direction.

Theconstruction of the cam segments 76 and 77 and their relative positions on the disk- 75, when cooperating with the cam roller 78, is such that the cam segment 77 engages the cam roller 7 8 for-a longer period of time than does the cam segment 76. Hence, the number of the forward rotations of the rolls 34 and 35 is greater than'th'ose of the backward rotations of the rolls, so that the web is reciprocated lengthwise through the rinsing tanks and intermittently fed forward and discharged therefrom.

The web passes from the first compartment 31 of each rinsing tank to the nip of the feed rolls 34.and 35 in a vertical stretch, and from the feed rolls to the second compartment 32 in another vertical stretch, the stretches being substantially parallel. To prevent the wet web from clinging to the lower feed roll, I provide a spider roll 93 located below the feed rolls and betweenthe stretches. Said roll includes heads and spaced apart rods extending between the heads, the structure resembling a rotary squirrel cage. The shaft of the spider roll is rovided with a sprocket wheel 92 connected y a sprocket chain 91 with a sprocket wheel 90 fixed to the shaft of the lower feed roll 34, so that the spider roll is driven from the lower roll and in the same direction. The rods of the spider-roll contact with the web stretches and revent a stretch moving downward from t e lower feed roll from being carried inward by the periphery of said roll. The spider roll is rotated for ward and backward with the feed rolls.

The continuous discharge of the web from the second rinsing tank is assisted by the guide rollers 37.. and driving roller 38 suitably journalled in bearings on the frame.

The roller 38 is provided with a, pulley 95 apparatus.

pulley 97 and on a pulley 103 fixed to the guide roller 37.

It has been found in practicing my invention, that the continuous progress of the web through the washing tanks of the apparatus is sometimes accidentally impeded or obstructed, and if the obstruction is not promptly corrected, it may result in damage to the web or to some of the parts of the To overcome this objection, I provide the automatic stopping mechanism, next described, for disconnecting the feed rolls asociated with the washing tanks from the source of power whenever the progress of the web is seriously obstructed in either tank.

110 (Figure 7) designates a member of said stopping mechanism, there being one of these members for each washing tank. Each member is pivoted at 111 to brackets 112 (Figure fixed on the frame. On the forward end of each member 110 is a roller 11.3 adapted to guide the web in its passage to the compartment 20 of the washing tank. T0 the opposite end of each member 110 is secured one end of an upwardly extending arm 114 with the opposite end of which is pivotally connected at 115, an arm 116 fixed to a shaft 117 extending .substantially the length of the washing tanks and is adapted to be rocked by said arm by motion imparted to it from the member 110 and the web, wherever its progress is seriously impeded, and in whichever tank the obstruction may occur.

The organization is such that the stoppage of the feed rolls of the washing tanks is effected by the web after it has acquired a greater than normal tension in its passage through any one of the washing tanks. The web in its continuous progress from the compartment 21 of one of thewashing tanks to the next compartment 20 of the succeeding tank passes over "guide rollers 18, taking the course indicated by dotted lines in Figure 8 and yieldingly contacts with the roller 113 of the member 110 without causing the stoppage of the apparatus thereby. But, when the progress of the web is obstructed in either of the washing tanks,the web in its passage through the remaining washing tanks takes up the folds 'w' of the accumu lated web floating in the compartment 20 of the tank succeeding a tank in which the obstruction or interruptionr'occurs. Thus, the web is caused to take the course indicated by dotted lines in Figure 7 engaging the roller 113 of the member 110, urging that end of v upwardly. The movement thus imparted to the member downwardly in the direction of progress of the web, and the opposite end 4 the member 110 by the web, tending to assume a straight course of progress from the guide rollers 18 and the guide members 23, is transmitted to the shaft 117'by the arms 114 and 116 to rock said shaft in a manner to cause the stoppage of the feed rolls associated with the washing tanks. 11S designates an arm fixed at one end to the shaft 117 (see Figure 7), and adapted to receive and transmit the motion of said shaft to mechanism for causing the stop page of the apparatus, next to be described. To the other end of arm 118 is secured a cord 119 passing over a guide pulley 120 and made fast to a locking bolt 121 adapted to be disengaged from a lug 122 fixed to a starting and stopping bar 123 for the apparatus by motion imparted to the shaft 117. The disengagement of the bolt 121 from the lug 122 permits the bar 123 to be moved longitudinally to unclutch the clutched main driving pulley 146 (see Figure 1) from the main drive shaft 47 through clutch-operating lever 129 attached to the bar 123, by the downward movement of a weight 124 connected to the bar 123 by a cord 125 fixed to the bar and passing over a guide pulley 126 downward to the weight 124 where it is .made fast.

Hence it may be seen that when the progress of the web through the washing tanks is scriously obstructed in either of the tanks, motion is imparted by the web to the member 110, located within the particular tank in which occurs the obstruction, thence through the arms 114 and 116 to the rock-shaft 117. common to all the washing tanks as previously described. The motion of said shaft is made use of to cause the disengagement of the bolt 121 from the lug 122, fixed to the bar 123, by the arm 118, fixed to shaft 117, cord 119, and pulley 120. Thus permitting the weight 124 to move downward, drawing the bar 123, which is now free to be moved, to the left in Figure 1, through the cord 12:). to unclutch the main driving pulley 146 of the apparatus, from the drive shaft 47. hence, obviously stopping the apparatus.

After the obstruction to the progress of the web has been removed from the tank,

the feed rolls are again started by manually imparting longitudinal movement to the bar 123 against the pull of the weight 124 to clutch the shaft 47 to the clutch pulley 146. The bar 123 isadapted to be locked in its operative position by the latch bolt 121 and lug 122 to prevent accidental unclutchmg of the clutch pulley 146 from shaft 47.

Should the web break while passing through the washing tanks at either end of the rolls 26 and 27, the broken end will have a tendency to adhere to the rolls and build up a thickness between them. This will raise the roll 27 (said roll being held down by weighted arm 150) and in rising will lift either of the arms151 and 114, thus exerting upward pressure on same, causing the shaft 117 to rotate throu 'h either of the arms 116, 152 and 153. This will unclutch the clutched pulley 1461 from the shaft 47 through the clutch-operating lever, as before mentioned.

In place'of employing the hereinbefore described unclutching means for the stoppage of the apparatus, I may employ the modified construction or means as illustrated in Figures 14 and 15. In this construction, the shaft 117 will be rocked through the same automatic means as before described, and will transmit its motion to the arms 160 and 161 to disengage the locking member 162 fastened to the shipper rod 163. In operation, the shipper rod carrying the lock 162 is moved to the right by the hand shipper arm 164, as shown by dotted lines. This will slide the belt 165 from the loose pulley 166 on to the tight pulley 167, and locks the shipper rod in place.

Should a breakage or obstruction occur in the washing tanks, the shaft 117 will cause the arms 160 and 161 to rock on their respective pivots and lift the shorter end 161 of arm 161, releasing the locking member 162 allowing the shipper rod 163 to transfer the belt 165 back onto the loose pulley 166 through the cord 168 passing over a pulley 169 to a weight (not shown) The belt shilpper rod 163 may be manually tripped by t e trip lever 17 0 pivoted to the belt shipper rod 163 at its upper end, and at its lower, end to the hand bar 171.

The described organization pertains to the sto page of the feed rolls in the washing tan s preceding the last tank 15. I also provide means cooperating with instrumentalities in the first rinsing tank 16 for causing the'sto page of the feed rolls in the rinsing ta s 16 and 17, when the rate of progress of the web through said tanks 15 greater than the discharge from the tank 15 (see Figures 10 and 11)., Such means comprises a slide or door 130 verticall movable in fixed guides 131 (see Figure 2; at its edges, and to said door is pivoted one end of a link 132 as at 133. The other end (see Figure 11 is pivotally attached to an arm 134 fixe to a disk 135 loosely mounted on the shaft 117 between collars 136 fixed to said shaft, and adapted to im-" 'a rod 138' part longitudinal movement t and belt shipper 139, iven the door 130 by the web in taking t e course indicated,

by dotted lines at Z in Figure 10, as it is. being drawn from the washing tank 15 into the rinsing tank 16 by-the rolls 34 and 35 and the guide 'pulley To this end, I provide an arm 137 fixed at one end to the disk 135 and having pivotally mounted at the opposite end a rod 138 yieldingly mounted to a belt-shipper lever 139 as. by passing through a lug on said lever. Between the lug and the end of therod138 is'a' coiled spring adapted tourge the lever away.v V, fromcndof the rod so as to absorb any feed rolls,

-tically and impart this movement to the rod in a manner to cause the belt-shipper lever 139 to transfer the belt 49 from the tight pulley 50 on to the loose pulley 50 and cause the stoppage of the rinsing portion of the ap aratus. When a sufficient number of fol have accumulated in the tank 16, the rinsing by manually operating the lever 139, transferring the belt from pulley 50* to pulley 50.

'l o maintain the web convolutions 'w slightly spaced apart, so that they will not contact or interfere objectionably with each other, I provide separators composed of narrow upright str1ps'143 (Figures. 1, 2 and 9) fixed wit in the washing tanks and extendmg between the adjacent edges of the convolutions.

I claim: t

1. In a web-cleaning apparatus, a rinsing tank having a partition subdividing the tank into two communicating compartments, a driven guide pulley arranged to deliver a web to the first compartment, and a pair of driven feed rolls located one above the other above said draw the web from the firstcompartment and deliver it to the second compartment, the web fpassing in substantially parallel stretches rom the first compartment to'the and from the feed rolls to the artment, mechanism being proriving the feed rolls alternately second com vided for partition, and arranged to withh portion is again started forward and backward vto reciprocate the web lengthwise.

2. In a web-cleaning apparatus, tank having a partition subdividing the tank lnto two communicating compartments, a

drivenguide pulley arranged to deliver a.

web to the first compartment, a pair ,of driven feed rolls located one above the other above said partition, and arranged to witha rinsing located below the feed rolls and between said stretches'and contacting with the stretches to prevent adhesion of the web to the lower feed roll, mechanism being provided for driving the feed rolls and the spider roll alternately 3 forward and backward, so that the feed rolls reciprocate the, and'the directio'n of rotation of the spider rollcorrespondsto the direction of ,IIIOVQ'. ment 'ofthe web stretches. '1, I J 13. A webecleaning apparatusixcomprising a series ofirin'sing tanks a nged-in tandem web lengthwise,

115 om the first compartment to the order, feed rolls associated with said tanks, driving mechanism including means for driving the rolls alternately forward and backward, the backward movements being of lesser amplitude than the forward movements, and stopping mechanism actuated by an obstruction to the progress of the web to disconnect the feed rolls from the source of power.

4. A web-cleaning apparatus comprising a series of rinsing tanks arranged in tandem order, feed rolls associated with said tanks, driving mechanism including means for driving the rolls alternately forward and backward, the backward movements being of lesser amplitude than the forward movements, and stopping mechanism actuated by aeaaeeo abnormal tension of the web passing through the rinsing tanks to disconnect the feed rolls from the source of power.

5. A web-cleaning apparatus comprising a series of rinsing tanks arranged in tandem order, feed rolls associated with said tanks,

driving mechanism including means for driving the rolls alternately forward and backward, the backward movements being of lesser amplitude than the forward movements, and stopping mechanism actuated by the breaka e of the web to disconnect the feed rolls from the source of power.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

GEORGE STONE. 

